Redundant charged particle state determination apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 9,910,166 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2016
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ProTom International Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: James Patrick Bennett, Lee W. Davis, Stephen L. Spotts
• Inventors: Spotts, Stephen L., Lee, W. Davis, Bennett, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ippolito, Nicole
• Application Number:
  US15/170,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 250396 R, 250397, 2504921, 2504923, 600 1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1095 Elements inserted into the radiation path within the system, e.g. filters or wedges
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1044 with multiple repetitions of the scanning pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1067 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/107 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1082 having multiple beam rotation axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20 with scintillation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/08 Deviation, concentration or focusing of the beam by electric or magnetic means electron-optical arrangements in electric discharge tubes H01J29/46; details, e.g. electric or magnetic deviating means for direct voltage accelerators or in accelerators using single pulses H05H5/02; arrangements for injecting particles into orbits H05H7/08; arrangements for ejecting particles from orbits H05H7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

The invention comprises a system for redundantly determining the state of a charged particle beam, such as beam position, direction, energy, and/or intensity. For example, the charged particle beam state is determined: (1) in an extraction system from a synchrotron, (2) in a charged particle beam transport path, and/or (3) at or about a patient undergoing charged particle cancer therapy using one or more film layers designed to emit photons upon passage of a charged particle beam, which yields information on position and/or intensity of the charged particle beam. The emitted photons are used to calculate position, direction, and/or intensity of the treatment beam in imaging and/or during tumor treatment.

Claims

1. A method for redundant state determination of positively charged particles of a particle beam, comprising the steps of:

determining a first state of the positively charged particles using an extraction process of the positively charged particles from a synchrotron;

measuring a second state of the positively charged particles using a signal generated in a beam transport path downstream from said synchrotron;

communicating both the first state and the second state to a treatment delivery control system.

2. The method of claim 1, said step of measuring the second state further comprising the step of:

using a scintillation detector of a tomography system to determine the second state.

3. The method of claim 2, said step of determining the first state further comprising the step of:

measuring a secondary electron emission from an extraction material upon transmission of the positively charged particles therethrough, wherein both the first state and the second state represent a number of the positively charged particles per unit time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

calculating a third state of the positively charged particles using an applied field state.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

determining energy of the positively charged particles using a period of the applied field state to calculate an energy of the positively charged particles while circulating in said synchrotron.

6. The method of claim 4, said applied field state comprising:

an applied magnetic field through a magnet, the positively charged particles passing through the magnet.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

using photons emitted from a sheet upon transmission of the positively charged particles through the sheet to determine a fourth state of the positively charged particles.

8. The method of claim 7, said step of using photons resulting in a first determined position of the positively charged particles and said step of using a scintillation detector resulting in a second determined position of the positively charged particles.

9. The method of claim 7, said first state, said second state, said third state, and said fourth state determined using an extraction process, scintillation process, calculation process, and photonic process, respectively.

10. The method of claim 6, said step of measuring a second state using said scintillation detector resulting in a first determined energy of the positively charged particles and said step of calculating a third state resulting in a second determined energy of the positively charged particles.

12. The method of claim 2, said step of using the scintillation detector further comprising:

determining an intensity of the positively charged particles using a magnitude of emitted photons upon the positively charged particles striking a scintillation material of the tomography system.

13. The method of claim 12, said step of using the scintillation detector further comprising:

determining a position of the positively charged particles using a position of emitted photons upon the positively charged particles striking a scintillation material of the tomography system.

14. The method of claim 12, the intensity of the positively charged particles comprising a number of the positively charged particles per unit time.

15. The method of claim 2, said step of determining the first state of the positively charged particles further comprising the step of using a signal generated during extraction of the positively charged particles, said step of measuring the second state of the positively charged particles further comprising the step of using photons emitted from a sheet upon transmission of the charged particles therethrough.

16. The method of claim 2, said step of measuring the second state using a signal generated in a beam transport path after passage through the patient.

17. The method of claim 1, said step of determining a first state generating a first intensity of the positively charged particles further comprising the step of using electrons emitted from a material upon transmission of the charged particle beam through said material, said step of measuring the second state further comprising the step of generating a second intensity of the positively charged particles using photons emitted from a sheet upon transmission of the charged particle beam through said sheet.

11. The method of 10, said step of determining a first state of the positively charged particles using an extraction process resultant in a third determined energy of the positively charged particles.

18. An apparatus for redundant state determination of positively charged particles of a particle beam, comprising:

a treatment delivery control system communicatively linked to a synchrotron, said treatment delivery control system configured to determine a first state of the positively charged particles using an extraction process of the positively charged particles from said synchrotron;

said treatment delivery control system configured to receive a signal generated in a beam transport path downstream from said synchrotron, said signal measuring a second state of the positively charged particles,

wherein said treatment delivery control system receives communication of both the first state and the second state.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, said treatment delivery control system further comprising:

a current to voltage converter, a current to the converter comprising a secondary emission of electrons resultant from the positively charged particles passing through an extraction material, a voltage from said converter used to measure the first state of the positively charged particles; and

a scintillation detector configured to detect the signal resultant from the positively charged particles striking a scintillation plate of a tomography system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, said treatment delivery control system further comprising:

a photon sensor configured to detect photons emitted from a sheet upon transmission of the positively charged particles through the sheet, the photon sensor used to determine a third state of the positively charged particles comprising at least one of a position and an intensity of the positively charged particles.